January 27, (THEWILL) – Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, said his remarks that biennial World Cups could persuade Africans not to risk “death” by crossing the Mediterranean Sea had been “taken out of context”
On Wednesday, Infantino spoke to the European Council about a variety of topics, including football agents, Qatar 2022, and FIFA’s proposals for World Cup tournaments every two years.
He ended his address by discussing the latter, explaining how FIFA’s reasoning behind the contentious proposal – which Arsene Wenger is pushing – stems from a desire to let more people around the world watch the finest players for “the future of football”.
Infantino stated: “We see that football is going to a direction where the few have everything and the vast majority have nothing. I understand.
“In Europe, the World Cup happens twice per week because the best players are playing in Europe. In Europe there’s no need for additional events, but if we think about the rest of the world, and even in Europe, the vast majority of Europe that doesn’t see the best players, doesn’t participate in the top competitions.”
However, when he went on to highlight the sport’s current ethical issues, Infantino’s speech took an unexpected turn, arguing that the proposed World Cup modifications – and wider involvement in global football – would persuade refugees reconsider their decision to abandon Africa for Europe.
“We have to think about what football brings, which goes beyond the sport, because football is about what I was saying at the beginning – it’s about opportunities, about hope, about national teams, the country, heart, the joy and emotion. You cannot say to the rest of the world, ‘give us your money and if you happen to have a good player, give us the player as well, but you just watch on TV’.
“We need to include them. We need to find ways to include the entire world, to give hope to Africans so they don’t have to cross the Mediterranean in order to, maybe, find a better life but more probably death in the sea.
“We need to give opportunities and we need to give dignity, not by giving charity but by allowing the rest of the world to participate. Maybe a World Cup every two years isn’t the answer, [but] we discuss it, debate it.”
The reactions were swift and damning. Tony Burnett, Chief Executive of “Kick It Out”, the organisation that challenges discrimination, encourages inclusive practices and works for positive change, condemned the comments in a statement that said:
“FIFA is a multi-billion profit-making organisation. They already have the funds to invest in creating and inspiring opportunities for disadvantaged people around the world.
“It is therefore completely unacceptable to suggest that a biennial World Cup, predominantly set up to drive further profits for FIFA, could be a solution for migrants who risk their lives, sometimes fleeing war-torn countries, to seek a better life.
“If FIFA has a genuine commitment to tackling inequality, they should be investing time and resources into charitable causes on the ground, rather than disguising what appears to be a profit-making biennial World Cup as the answer to any existing problems.”
But, in his defence, Infantino sought to clarify his perspective several hours later via a statement released on FIFA’s Twitter account. It read:
“Given that certain remarks made by me before the Council of Europe earlier today appear to have been misinterpreted and taken out of context, I wish to clarify that, in my speech, my more general message was that everyone in a decision-making position has a responsibility to help improve the situation of people around the world.
“If there are more opportunities available, including in Africa, but certainly not limited to that continent, this should allow people to take these opportunities in their own countries.
“This was a general comment, which was not directly related to the possibility of playing a FIFA World Cup every two years.”
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
